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Abbott endorsement lifts pair to seats on Plano city council

The move by the governor was a first of the suburban city, where candidates cited density and rising taxes as major issues.

The Plano city council will have two new members after the election on Saturday. Shelby Williams and Lily Bao were supported by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)(Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer)

A pair of candidates backed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in two Plano city council races won their elections Saturday night.

Shelby Williams took incumbent Ron Kelley’s Place 5 seat after getting 53% of the vote.

And Lily Bao, who ran against Ann Bacchus for an open Place 7 seat on the council, won her race with 57% of the vote.

Each winning candidate had an edge in early voting totals and kept their leads in their races throughout the night.

In his victory speech at a watch party in Plano, Williams credited God, his family and an "army of volunteers" with the win.

He said wants to ensure that "Plano remains and belongs to" the people who live there, he said.

He said voters' dissatisfaction with population density and rising property taxes were key issues in the race.

Kelley, who lost his chance at a second term on the council, thanked his supporters in a Facebook post Saturday night.

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“Now, let’s work TOGETHER to make Plano the City of Excellence it is,” he wrote. “Best wishes to Shelby Williams!”

Both Williams and Bao were endorsed by the state’s Republican governor — an unusual move for a nonpartisan election, and a first for Plano, according to Collin County Republican Party executive director.

Bao said she celebrated her win at Texadelphia on Preston Road in Plano. She said she wanted the residents of Plano to know that even if they didn't vote for her, she wanted to work with "every one of you."

Like Williams, she pointed to population density and property taxes as important issues facing Plano. Bao said she knows residents have different views on those issues, but she wants to find "win-win" solutions that will work for all of them.

Lily Bao at an event in 2017, when she was running for mayor. Bao won the Place 7 seat on the Plano City Council Saturday night. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)(Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer)

"I intend to unite all people and work for every citizen of the city to continue to make Plano a great city for families, freedom, and prosperity," Bao said Saturday after her win.

The wins for Williams and Bao are a blow for Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere, who supported Kelley and Bacchus for the council seats and was highly critical of their opponents.

LaRosiliere called the governor’s endorsements for the two winning candidates “odd,” and said it was unfortunate that whomever advised Abbott “didn’t do their due diligence.”

“Had he done his due diligence, he would have been a lot more reticent to jump on their wagons,” the mayor said previously.

In Saturday’s election, Collin County saw about 12% voter turnout. In June 2017, when Plano residents voted to elect two council members, turnout was at 8% across Collin County.

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Here are the winners of other suburban races around North Texas:

Dallas County

Gregory Glover won the Place 5 seat on the Cedar Hill City Council with 66% of the vote, defeating Victor Gonzalez.

Dinah Marks beat Marikay Dewberry with 55% of the vote for the Desoto City Council Place 5 spot.

Janet DePuy defeated Dan Barrios for the Richardson City Council Place 3 spot. DePuy had 51% of the vote, and Barrios had 49%.

Whitney Laning won the Place 4 spot on the Rowlett City Council over Diane Lemmons with 52% percent of the vote

Collin County

Josh Vollmer won the Place 2 seat on the Anna City Council, defeating Alonzo Tutson with 63% of the vote.

Chad Anderson won a spot on the Celina City Council with 58% of the vote. He beat out Jason Poncio for the Place 6 spot.

For the Fairview City Council Seat 5, Ken Logsdon won with 67% of the vote over Gregg Custer.

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Meigs Miller won the Prosper City Council Place 4 seat, defeating Steve Thomas with 55% of the vote.

Tarrant County

Gerald Joubert will be the next mayor of Forest Hill. He received 61% of the vote and defeated opponent Lyndia Thomas.

Ignacio Núñez won the District 5 seat on the Arlington City Council, beating Andy Prior with 58% of the vote.

John Lopez beat Richard Fregoe for the District 4 seat on the Grand Prairie City Council -- by eight votes.

Dana Branham, Breaking news reporter. Dana is a reporter at The Dallas Morning News covering crime and breaking news. She graduated in 2017 from the University of Oklahoma, where she studied journalism. Before coming to The News in 2018, Dana interned at the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Tulsa World.